[Nurumaiel]

Leofan and family

As the majority of the people left the burned-down stable for lunch, Frodides followed them while Leofan and Liornung stayed behind. Leofan had refused to go have lunch, saying he needed to tend to the horses still and make sure none of them were hurt, and Liornung had decided to stay with him. As the crowd thinned, Mærcwen was visible sitting on Mihtig's back, stroking his neck and watching the goings-on with wide eyes. "That's a lovely girl," said Liornung, gesturing towards Mærcwen. "I wonder who she is? I don't see her parents anywhere."

Leofan smiled. "Look at me and you'll see her father," he said, and Liornung gaped, saying, "Why, goodness me, I wouldn't expect a child of yours to be so handsome! She must have got it from her mother, for your as ugly as a man can get. Now as for me... I was always the most handsome in the family. Pity all my wanderings have changed that."

Leofan glanced towards Mærcwen again, and saw that she atop Mihtig was coming towards them, led by Frodides, who was holding a plate of food. Mærcwen was carefully balancing two more plates. Liornung sat up straight, closing his eyes. "I think the women have brought us lunch," he said. "And I cannot tell you how hungry I am." He looked ruefully at his brother with a little sigh. "That is the bad thing about being a rambling fiddler. If people don't like your music you don't get a meal."

"Well, why don't you stay here for awhile?" Leofan asked. "The food here is excellent, and I'm sure Aylwen will be more than happy to give you a room."

"Is Aylwen the Innkeeper?" Liornung did not wait for an answer to his question. "She shan't give me a room, I'll pay for one. The people here in Edoras seem very appreciative of my music, you see. I have money in great store, and I shan't let her give me one." Taking his plate from Frodides outstretched hand with a delighted smile, he added, "I don't know how long I shall stay, though. Sooner or later the road will call and I'll be off."

Leofan stood and helped M³rcwen dismount Mihtig and set her down in front of Liornung. "Here, Mærcwen, this is your uncle." Mærcwen studied her newly-found uncle critically, and then gave a small curtsy with a little murmur of greeting.

"You needn't be polite to me," Liornung said. "After all, I'm your uncle." Then, smiling slyly, he took his fiddle in his hands and held it out so Mærcwen could see. Her eyes widened a little and she looked up at her mother. "Would you like me to a play a song?" M³rcwen did not answer, but Leofan assured his brother that she would, for he knew very well how much his daughter enjoyed music and song.

"So she wants me to play a song, eh?" Liornung pondered the demand for a few moments. "Much more difficult to play a song than a tune. Tunes are so easily changed. I could start one and end with another, but a song it is so difficult to choose... You see, M³rcwen, when one could play all the tunes they knew without a notable change if they only knew how to let one tune flow into the other. But a song, now! Hmm.... Well, what about something lively for a change? Everything is so dismal around here, and the people need cheering up. I hope however," he added in a low murmur to Leofan, "that I don't attract too much attention."

"Do you know any hobbit songs?" Mærcwen asked.

"Hobbit songs?" Liornung gasped. "Well, I know many tales about the Little Folk, but as for songs... dear me, lassie, do Hobbits even exist?"

"Yes."

"Oh ho, so certain, are you? Well, I thought the same when I was a child, and I still do. All the tales I can tell about them seem to ring with truth. I've never seen one, mind you, but I hear tell they're very good at hiding from us Big Folk." He played around with his fiddle for a little while, eyebrows drawn together in deep thought. "I don't know any real songs of the Little Folk, I'm afraid. Not any pure songs. But I know a song that is said to be a song of the Little Folk, regardless of whether it really is or not. Would you like me to play it?"

"Yes."

So Liornung struck up the tune, and to Mærcwen's delight she realized it was the very same song she had sung with the other children not too long ago. Without the least bit of hesitation or shyness she began to sing, and with a little light stealing to Liornung's face he began to play harder, for if truth must be told none of his audiences had ever sung his tunes before. And Mærcwen saw the challenge being presented to her. No pause hindered her song. She sang louder and harder as he played.